March 5th, 2025: Spotted the trekking poles for sale at an Oregon Costco location for $38.49. Looks about the same as the 2024 set.
Wandering around a Montana Costco (who doesn’t love exploring aisles of food, beer and toys) back in 2014, I picked up a couple pairs of Cascade Mountain’s Trekking poles to add to my collection and realized that for as much as I used the things, I had yet to do a review on them. Fast forward a decade and that review has become one of my most visited blog posts and for good reason, the “Costco” trekking poles are one of my all time favorite buys and should be one of yours too.
Now I know I’ve given away the ending of my review in opening paragraph but let’s be real here, you’re probably standing in the aisle right now, trying to figure out if this $35 package is the best deal of all time or just wasting your time when you could be headed to the food samples. I know they certainly seemed too good to be true when I picked up my first set but hey, Costco… return policy, right? Wrong. I mean, sure, you get the return policy and all, but I’m here to tell you that you won’t need it; these things simply rock.
But enough of the unexplained accolades, it’s time to back up why I’m saying this. Odds are you’ve never visited my blog before and know nothing about me so here’s the run down: I’m an avid adventurer in the PNW, an aspiring alpine mountain climber, and mostly, I am just on the trails a lot.
Putting Costco trekking poles to the test
From hikes around Washington, Oregon and California to summit climbs up Mount Rainier, Hood, Helens, Shasta, Half Dome, there’s been one or two Cascade Mountain poles with me at every adventure for years now. Only when bag space is an issue do I go with another option.
Perhaps the best way to explain the results though is with Mount St. Helens. In the last decade I’ve made dozens and dozens of summit climbs which, once the snow melts off, is 9 miles of sharp, volcanic rock, dirt and ash. Everything that goes up takes a beating and not everything has survived a season out there.
While I’ve lost poles at trails and given away pairs along the year, only one of the half dozen plus sets I’ve owned, only one pole has ever failed — the causality of banging snow off my metal crampons so many times that the plastic and foam handle snapped in half. Beyond that I’ve dropped, banged, scratched my poles, lost more than a few snowbaskets and feet as well as their replacements and the replacements to the replacement but no other real issues. I’d call that a solid result.
The Pros of the Poles (and what’s included)
As I think I’ve made clear, the poles are an all around winner in my book. Weight is something like 8oz each, material is carbon fiber, handles are an ever improving cork grip.
I especially love that the poles use a “clip lock” for each of the two adjustable extension levels. Essentially you snap down the locks rather than the common “twist” method found on many other cheap poles. With this the clips you only need a couple seconds to get setup and everything stays in place until you unclip — the same can not be said for the twist approach. The design is also tool-less so you can adjust mid trail.
But wait, there’s more!
(I mean, it is Costco so of course this is sold as a bundle)
- Two poles – 14.7oz / 418g for the set
- Rubber feet for hard surfaces
- Snow and sandbaskets
- And an impossible to open package
And the Cons
While the poles have improved greatly since my first review in 2015, there are still advantages to a higher end option. The handles are simply not as comfy as a $150 set’s and a season of sweat & sun furthers that gap. This is hardly a huge deal but clearly one of those places where premium does win out. You also don’t get the very lightest or most compact. So if ever gram counts or if you need something to fold down to say carry on size, these aren’t it.
The snowbaskets and dirt-feet that you inevitably lose from any pole are not easily replaceable without buying an entire set of course but the ones made by Black Diamond or REI work just fine.
There are differences but they’re minor. A softer handle? Not worth 3 times the price in my book. Costco’s kit competes with the very best — they’re light, durable, reliable, and come with all the accessories and at a price that’s a small fraction of just about anything else carbon fiber.
The Bottom Line: Buy Them
I assure you, Costco and Cascade Mountain pay me exactly nothing for my take here. Most of the time, I’m a regular buyer of the the premium brands that make the competitive options but if there’s a reason to step up here, I really haven’t seen it If you feel otherwise, please, leave a comment as to why!
Product Details:
- Category: Trekking Poles
- Utility: Hiking, snowshoeing, sword fighting with friends during breaks
- Pros: Extremely solid, insane value
- Cons: Lacks top quality materials
- Style: Neon yellow / green
- Price: $38.50 at Costco (up from $35 last year)
- Rating: 5 of 5
- Official Site | Buy in Costco Stores Spring – Summer
